From aspiring to become a professional footballer to making his mark in Malaysian Tamil cinema, Yuvaraj Krishnasamy’s journey is one of resilience, reinvention and passion for the arts. As RAAGA’s Artist of the Month for August, Yuvaraj opens up about his journey, his upcoming film Poovellam Kettupaar and his dreams for the future.

Yuvaraj’s passion for performing began at a young age through dance, mimicry and stage plays, which helped build his confidence and love for the performing arts. However, his biggest dream was to become a footballer. He travelled to Italy for training and trials, but a serious knee injury just six months into the journey forced him to give up on his football career.

When he entered university, Yuvaraj decided to channel his creative energy into arts, short films, stage skits and music. Together with his best friend Arunkumaran, he began performing conceptual stage skits with mimicry, eventually gaining recognition within the Malaysian Indian film fraternity. His breakthrough came with the short film Venpa, which opened the doors to mainstream media.

Today, Yuvaraj is preparing for the release of Karthik Shaamalan’s psychological thriller Poovellam Kettupaar, which hits cinemas on 27 August. Describing the film as a raw and edge-of-the-seat experience, he says audiences can expect plenty of twists and turns.

The film also gives Yuvaraj the opportunity to take on a character unlike anything he has portrayed before.

“My character is something I have never done before in my career and can expect a Yuvaraj totally immersed into a new character design overall,” he shared.

The film features an ensemble cast including Datin Sri Shaila, Magen Vikadakavi, debutant Veronica, child artist Tasshra and legendary actor KS Maniam, among others.

For Yuvaraj, one of the biggest challenges in the industry is consistency. He believes an artist must give their best in every role to earn the trust of filmmakers and continue growing in the industry.

When preparing for a character, Yuvaraj places great importance on working closely with the director, understanding the character’s background and personality, and reading the script multiple times. He also believes in building chemistry with his co-stars before a take, as teamwork is essential in bringing a scene to life.

While acting remains a major part of his journey, Yuvaraj has always had another ambition; to direct movies someday. He already has a few dream collaborations in mind but is keeping those names under wraps until his directorial venture takes shape.

Having worked with several established artists throughout his career, including Shashitharan, Haridhass, Logan, CK, Datin Shaila, Govind Singh, KS Maniam, Magen Vikadakavi, Saresh D7 and Tinesh Sarathi, he hopes to eventually bring together both established talents and the next generation of acting powerhouses.

Above everything, Yuvaraj remains grateful to the fans who have supported him throughout his journey. As Poovellam Kettupaar prepares to hit cinemas, he hopes audiences will continue to show him the same love and support.

With a challenging new role and bigger dreams ahead, Yuvaraj Krishnasamy’s journey in Malaysian cinema is only getting started.